A Godless Man
by Siblings Grimm
Summary: What is the nature of a god? At times they are capricious and cruel, at others, they are full of love and kindness. In a sense, they are much like Man. But regardless of our similarities, there is an inseparable gulf that separates us, mortality. They will never know human suffering. Parted from the gods of Earth and their prophecies with them, Percy will choose his own path.
1. Pt 1 - Long, Long Journey

**Disclaimer: I neither own nor claim to own 'Percy Jackson & The Olympians' or 'A Song of Ice and Fire'.**

Rated T for violence and occasional language.

 **For those reading on a computer, I recommend reading in 1/2 screen.** (This is accessed by selecting the paragraph button above the story and then clicking 1/2)

Enjoy

* * *

 **Long, Long Journey**

Traveling from one world to another sucked. And coming from someone who had held up the sky, bathed in the River Styx, and traveled through the bowels of Tartarus, that was saying something.

Percy knew uncomfortable, and he was on more than friendly terms with pain, but what he was currently experiencing dwarfed them all.

With a single step into the unknown, Percy had unknowingly subjected himself to the most unique experience of his life. While in the midst of the mind-numbing agony Percy couldn't quite put his finger on how to describe it, but if asked later, he would probably describe the experience in the following manner.

Have you ever been walking down the wharf and in the window of a candy shop spotted one of those fancy contraptions that are used to stretch, fold, and aerate salt water taffy? Well if you have, you would see the taffy being repeatedly pulled apart and then folded in on itself over and over and over.

Well, that is how Percy felt, like freaking interdimensional salt water taffy.

Percy didn't know how long it had been since he had taken that step into the unknown, but with every passing moment, his awareness faded until his world went black.

* * *

As Percy entered the realm of the conscious he was greeted by the wonderful sensation of pins and needles all over his body and the howling of the wind as it passed him by.

Disoriented and awakened by the sudden presence of actual sensation, Percy opened his eyes, and immediately regretted it.

"Oh Gods…"

Below him, a vast expanse of sapphire sea was broken by a countless number of small islands. And he was far, far above them.

And oh yes, he was falling.

In an instant, Percy's body went from limp to rigid as he began doing his best impression of a floundering duck. After a few moments of helpless flapping in the wind, Percy's instincts kicked in as he focused on the rapidly approaching water. As Percy drew closer and closer to the choppy sea he reached out with his senses and felt the ocean below him. With a tug deep in his gut, Percy willed it to catch him.

Percy plunged into the cold water and was engulfed by a receiving brace rather than the hard splat against pavement his impact should have been. Cold and refreshing, the sea soothed the adrenaline that was currently racing through Percy's veins. For a moment, Percy just floated in the salty water, listening to his heartbeat slow down.

But as the seconds slipped by his bodies need for oxygen alerted him to a problem, he was holding his breath. Realizing this, Percy went to take a breath, and hesitated… he was in another world, could he even breathe underwater anymore? His brain raced around the possibility of suffocation, would he drown? But another moment and he realized his foolishness, as he had fallen the sea had responded to his call, he still had his power.

Tentatively, Percy let out his breath and allowed the salty ocean water to pour into his lungs. His powers worked, just like they should. Percy relaxed and began to take deeper breaths as he slowly descended deeper into the sea.

Comforted and relieved, Percy let himself begin to think about his situation.

Survived an agonizing trip though who knows what to another world?

Check.

Survived a fall that could have killed you or resulted in lightning fried Percy?

Check.

Body and clothes intact? Percy looked down at himself.

"Schist!"

His clothes were gone. All of them.

Of course they were, he couldn't just travel through the fabric of reality like a normal person. Nope, he had to be naked too. So of course, that meant no riptide. And that was if the enchanted bladed had even made it through the trip. Gods, Percy hoped that it had.

So, here he was, in an unknown world, without his sword.

No friends, no family, no one…

He was completely alone.

Even during his time when he was without his memory, he hadn't felt this alone. He couldn't quite explain it, but he hadn't felt alone, and he had known Annabeth's name. Gods… Annabeth.

No, no. This was not that time to think about that.

Okay. He was alone, and he was without his weapon. But he definitely wasn't defenseless, not here, not in the sea. And there must be some purpose to being here, some reason he had been allowed to come here rather than just have been killed.

Percy signed, all this thinking was starting to hurt his head.

"Alrighty then, first priority, figure out where in the Hades I am."

Withdrawing from his moments of self-reflection, Percy began to look around. In the minutes that he had assessed his situation he had already sunk a good hundred feet or so below the surface, and he could see the glimmer of the sun high about him. But besides that, Percy had landed in an empty spot. In the distance, he could see a few schools of fish and could faintly hear the dull roar of the tides pounding upon the shore.

Finished with a survey of his immediate senses, Percy turned his attention to the ocean around him.

As soon as Percy opened himself up to the sea, he was suddenly awash with the foreign feelings of this alien ocean. The sensations were familiar, but also indescribably different. It was as if he had returned to a childhood home that had been changed after many years of absence. The oceans back home, on earth (gods how that was weird to say), had been under the domain of his Father, and every time he stepped into them he would immediately feel the welcome embrace of home. His father might not have been there with him during those moments, but he had been able to feel his presence. The closest thing he could compare this sea with was the ocean when he had been in Alaska.

This sea was wild and free, beholden to none. Curious as to how the ocean would respond, Percy, willed to water to form a whirlpool around himself. As usual, Percy felt the tug deep in his gut, but unlike usual, he also felt a resistance, a force opposing his own. The force wasn't sentient, at least not in the way that it had been when he had tried to control water under the power of Phorcys or Chrysaor. It was more the resistance of the untamed sea.

Again, Percy willed the water to move around him. This time, though sluggish, he began to feel the water slowly spin around himself. And as the water began to slowly pick up the pace, he felt it, an echo, faint and ancient, but powerful. While these seas may be wild and tempestuous now, they had once had a master, a master now absent.

Percy let the whirlpool fade as he listened to the distant echo of ancient power. What had happened? A God had once controlled these waters, of that he had no doubt. But what had happened to this being? Had it been slain? Or perhaps it had faded away like Pan had as man defiled nature? Were their even people in this world?

Curious, Percy focused on the taste of the water in his mouth. In New York, Percy had always been able to taste the faint residue of oil and rust under the prevalent taste of salt. But in this water, nothing, not the barest hint. He didn't know exactly what that meant, but it did at least tell him there wasn't a major industrial city nearby.

Below him, but not too far away, Percy could feel the origin of the echo he had felt. He was about to pursue it when he hesitated. Here he was, not even ten minutes on a new planet and he was about to go chasing after an unknown power in the sea. He hadn't yet even found people, let alone a place he might be able to sleep that night. Perhaps following the echo wasn't wise?

He could take time and find his way to one of the islands he had seen while falling, and search for people. But what sort of people would he find? He wasn't truly sure. And having a literal fresh start in a new world he had no clue what he wanted out of life, let alone know what was possible in this world.

Percy decided to trust his instincts, its what Lupa would have recommended.

Focusing again on the ancient echo, Percy began to swim, willing the water to pull him along in the direction of the call. He wasn't sure what he would find, but the presence of some sort of God would be telling of what sort of people lived in this world. Gods, if they were even people. What if there were some sort of alien monster things? What if he was stuck in a world of disfigured mutants?

While the idea of aliens was cool, living on an alien world with weirdo alien gods? Yea, not so much.

As Percy traveled, he could feel the sea around him responding with less and less resistance. And within thirty minutes, Percy found himself drawing close to the source of the call.

By this time, Percy had reached the rocky sea floor and wound his way around kelp forests and darting fish as he approached his goal.

The first odd thing that he noticed was a stone road that wound itself around large protrusions of rock. At the sight of the road, Percy found himself unexpectedly awash in a mixture of emotions and was startled to find himself crying as he floated above the strange road. A road, that meant people! Or at least beings of some kind. The next emotion he felt as the sudden wave of relief left him was confusion. Why was there a road on the bottom of the sea floor? You don't exactly need roads in the ocean.

Confused, but even more curious, Percy followed it as the road lead in the direction of the call. It only took a few moments before the source of the call appeared.

Before him, broken and crumbling on the sea floor were the ruins of a vast city. Floating higher to gain a better view, Percy saw that the city originated in the crevice of a large, jutting sea mountain, and spilled forth from that point like a large flood of stone buildings. Once great walls encircled the border of the desolate ruins.

Percy floated there for several minutes before he realized that his mouth was hanging wide open.

He had seen an underwater city before, and Atlantis had been a marvel beyond words. But this… this was no underwater city. No, this city had sunk beneath the sea. Percy had heard tales of cities that Poseidon had flooded in the times of ancient Greece, but he had never seen the ruins of one. Filled with morbid curiosity Percy descended into the ruins.

As he sunk into one of the streets Percy was confused by what he saw.

The buildings around him were formed from a grey stone and appeared to be perfect for coral and anemones to root themselves on. But as he floated through the streets, he didn't see a single reef. Not one. And on top of that unusual phenomenon, Percy hadn't seen any sea life once he had descended into the city. No fish, no crabs, nothing.

Not unexpectedly, Percy didn't see any bodies. Remains, well at least human remains, only last a few years in the ocean before dissolving completely. But he did find random piles of sea encrusted jewelry, and heaps of what appeared to have once been armor and weapons.

Whatever had happened, it had happened fast enough that many of the people had drowned before they could escape the city.

Not finding anything else of apparent meaning, Percy ceased his wanderings and proceeded to follow the call. As he progressed through the streets he found himself approaching the crevice in the center of the city.

When he finally reached the center of the city, he was greeted by a massive building built into the cleft of the mountain. Grand and impressive, Percy could feel the ancient power emanating from within the building. Entering where massive doors must have one stood, Percy found himself floating through a tunnel that depicted a vast number of murals carved into the stone.

The first showed a group of men and women, struggling in the sea, their small vessel at the mercy of the winds and waves. While the details weren't the best (well, at least compared to what he was used to), Percy was able to tell that yes, the people seemed to actually be men and women, and not some alien monsters. Relief once again flooded through him, as he appreciated that the people on this world were indeed human. At least he wasn't destined to spend the rest of his life communing with weirdos.

Percy continued down the hall, pausing to examine each new carving as he passed it. While he couldn't make each one out due to erosion and some points of the hallway that had broken down in places, he was able to pick up the general gist of the story, and he wasn't sure he liked it.

These people, whoever they had been had been, were saved from some storm by praying to some sea God. This God had answered their prayers and led them to an island where they established a home. As the people grew in strength, they would go out into the seas and return with wealth, riches, and what looked like slaves. The murals went on to depict the creation of a great naval kingdom founded on the what they had learned from this God.

The people seemed to have a pretty bloody history. Not that he was one to talk, the Greeks weren't exactly the model of peace and Virtue. But these people were just straight up cruel.

Percy eventually passed from the hallway and entered a vast chamber carved into the mountain. Compared to the hallway he had just exited from, the room was surprisingly empty of carvings and murals. In the far end of the chamber, he saw several hallways that led further into the mountain, but rubble had blocked the entrances of most of them.

Only one thing stood out in the room, and it drew far more than enough attention on its own.

In the very center of the chamber, a depression was carved into the stone, maybe two to three feet deep. And rising from the center of the pool was an altar. Resting upon the Altar, with a dagger through its chest, lay a skeleton.

At the sight of the skeleton, dread settled upon Percy. This individual, this person, had been sacrificed on the altar. But, the skeleton shouldn't be there. If this poor soul had been sacrificed at the time of the cities sinking, the bones should have dissolved long, long ago.

Still drawn by the pull of the ancient power, Percy approached the altar. And as Percy drew close to the pool, he looked down and was horrified by what he saw. Dozens upon dozens of skeletons filled the pit, all of them strangely preserved in the same way as the skeleton upon the altar. Percy didn't know what usually filled the pool at the center of this room, but on the day these people had been killed, it must have flowed with their blood.

How could people do things like this? Percy understood fighting for one's life, he had done that plenty of times before. He even understood the desire of revenge and the conflicts that came about between nations. But this… the ritualistic slaughtering of men, women, and child, this he did not understand. Anger and pity filled him as he looked upon the simple altar at the center of the pool. How could a God demand such things of their people? Whoever their God had been, Percy hoped that they were dead and gone.

Standing there, surrounded by the bones of the sacrificed, Percy could feel their cries of agony, and the echoes of their despair. He was no son of Hades, but he could swear that he felt a presence around him.

 _The dagger…_

He could see the dagger, thrust through the ribs or the poor soul upon the altar.

 _Pull it free…_

Yes, he needed to pull it out. It had pierced the victim for long enough. Percy stepped forward, and into the pool of bones. He approached the altar and reached out to grab the dagger.

No, what was he doing? Percy hesitated, something was wrong here.

 _Pull it free!_

This time he could almost hear the words, and they definitely weren't coming from him. He resisted.

 _Do it! Pull the Dagger free!_

With the words, Percy felt a foreign force come upon him, and in a sudden motion, he reached out and yanked the dagger free from its human sheath.

* * *

A sudden flash of light and Percy was no longer standing in the pool, rather he found himself barraged by a sudden surge of images and sounds. Men and women, clothed in armor, sailing and conquering as they went. Vast creatures of the sea that would swim beside them, tearing apart their enemies. He saw great cities and temples, vast halls of gold and riches, men and women feasting in their wealth. Truly a great and powerful nation, all dedicated to their god of the sea, a dark face in the water with glowing blue eyes.

Then the visions of riches and glory turned to blood and horror. Their great ships and navies were consumed by the same creatures that had once fought beside them. The seas that had once carried them now swallowed their cities and broke the islands upon which they sat. A vision of their once benevolent god, sea blue eyes turned murky and dark, a great maw rising out of the sea to devour what it had wrought.

A great congregation of men and women surrounding a man in grey robes standing in the corpse-filled pool, a white dagger in his hand. Tears streaking down his face as he plunges the knife into the body of the bound man upon the altar. The ground shakes and rumbles, and the man leaves the dagger and pool and frantically runs out of the chamber and through the entrance hallway as the great crowd follows him. As they emerge from the temple, hope shining in their eyes, they collapsed to their knees and fall upon each other as they saw the gigantic tidal wave approaching the city. Percy watched as the island was flooded in water and the refugees were swallowed by gigantic jaws and pulled into the depths by grasping tentacles. In the water, Percy again saw the dark glowing eyes and heard a rumbling chuckle as the islands were shattered and torn apart.

* * *

And then as sudden as the force had come upon him, it was gone.

As the images faded, Percy fell to his knees, overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught of images. Around him, the skeletons crumbled to dust. And as they did, he heard a chorus of voices echoing through the halls.

 _Kill him…_

 _Kill him…_

Percy looked at the dagger in his hand, it was the color of faded ivory, and was clearly made of bone. The blade was perhaps a little over a foot long and was sharper than it had any right to be. As he held it in his hand, Percy could feel the echoing cries of those who had died, and their burning desire for revenge.

This was too much. Leave it to him to become entangled in another Godly problem within hours of arriving on another world. No, he wasn't going to be a part of this. Percy stood up and dropped the blade. He was done with Gods and their problems. This had happened eons ago and wasn't his problem.

As the blade slowly fell to the floor Percy felt the ancient power that had drawn him there stir. It wasn't much, barely a disturbance, but Percy felt it, deep and strong, emanating from the ancient altar. And after the vision he had just seen, he recognized it as the power of that ancient and maleficent God who had broken these people.

It was time for him to go.

Turning around, Percy called upon the power of the sea to pull him from the room. Slow at first, the current built in speed until he had left the chamber, the temple, and the ruined city far behind.

* * *

Back on earth, in her palace upon Olympus, a goddess smiled. She had been unsure if Perseus would make the choice that he had in choosing the unknown. Undoubtedly she was glad that he had, but she would miss watching the demigod and the headaches he caused the gods. It would be some time before they had a hero of his caliber once again.

But what was done was done, and he was someone else's problem now. She chuckled at the thought.

The poor fools.

* * *

While in the Ocean, control over water was not the only perk of being a son of Poseidon. On earth, anytime he had been on ship or sea he had perfect bearings. Not only did he know in which direction was North and South, but he had also been able to list of his latitude and longitude and the speed at which he was traveling. On the oceans of the earth, there was no way he could get lost.

But that was then, and things weren't working the same way wherever he was. He could still feel his ability to sense direction, it wasn't gone, it was just like a compass spinning in circles. Perhaps in time as he acclimated to this planet they would 'tune in', but for now all he was getting was the general outline of a number of islands around him.

Focusing on the vague outlines Percy narrowed in on the largest one and began his current propelled swim towards it.

A few minutes later, and Percy found himself on the shore of an extremely rocky island. Mostly cliffs and rocky beaches, Percy was able to find one semi-sandy beach to climb out of the water. As he walked out of the surf and onto the black pebble beach, the water left him, leaving him perfectly dry. And oh yes, butt naked.

In the water, Percy had forgotten that he was completely naked.

With a cool breeze blowing by and the already cool temperature, Percy realized that until he found some clothes these islands may not be the best place to stay. But after his interesting experience not an hour ago, he found himself reluctant to enter the water once again.

Looking around himself he saw that the island while still small, was much larger than the majority of islands in the area. Perhaps a few miles wide and ten or so miles long, the island resembled pride rock from 'The Lion King' with one end jutting out of the sea and high into the air and the other end gradually sloping into the ocean. Grasses and large rocks dominated the lower portion of the island while what looked like pine trees occupied the rest of it.

As Percy found himself looking around and admiring the jagged island while walking along the shoreline. While walking, Percy felt his ankle hit something riding on the surf.

Percy looked down and saw a white dagger sticking out of the sand

"Well fucking Styx."


	2. Pt 1 - Of Gifts and Dreams

**Disclaimer:** I neither own nor claim to own 'Percy Jackson and the Olympus' or 'A Song of Ice and Fire'.

 **Note:**

While I will base the majority of the story on 'A Song of Ice and Fire', there will be a few characters and nods to the TV show. Either way, you shouldn't have a problem following along as Percy is a complete stranger to Westeros and Essos and the story will be written accordingly.

One of these alterations is character age. While I understand why George RR wrote the characters young, I feel more comfortable writing the characters a little bit older. Ex: Jon is 16, not 14. Daenerys is 16, not 13. Arya is 11, not 9. Etc.

Also, Percy is currently 17. It's been a few months since a (non-cannon) Blood of Olympus. More on that later.

 **For those reading on a computer, I recommend reading in 1/2 screen.** (This is accessed by selecting the paragraph button above the story and then clicking 1/2)

Hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

 **Of Gifts and Dreams**

Yesterday, Percy had face dived into a new world, and he was getting tired of the cursed archipelago he had found himself in.

That first day had definitely rated on 'Percy's Top Ten Idiotic Moments'. Up there with intentionally causing Mt. Saint Helens to explode, and the time he had challenged the God of War to a duel when he was only twelve.

After finding out that the dagger had somehow followed him to the island, Percy did what any reasonable demigod would have done in that situation. He let loose every curse word he knew while running in the opposite direction. What? Who would want some kind of cursed dagger following them around?

Needless to say, pulling a sacrificial dagger from a human corpse had not been a good move.

Percy had not gone more than a hundred feet before he had dove into the water and high tailed it to the nearest island. Thanks to his wonderful gifts as a son of Poseidon he had made it to another island in less than an hour.

By the time Percy had made it to the nearest island the sun had started to set and he wasn't opposed to getting some shut-eye.

Then had come the dreams.

Before Percy had settled down to sleep in a comfy underwater cave he had hoped that since he was in another world that perhaps he was done with his weird demigod dreams. He should have known better.

In his dreams that night, Percy had been haunted by the image of a crumbling marble archway and the voice of a woman echoing through the darkness.

" _It is your choice Perseus Jackson, what will you choose?"_

Through the ancient gateway, Percy saw dozens of images flash by in a rapid succession. Vast plains of rolling grassland, high vaulting mountains, forested lands covered in snow, and the deep red rolling flame in the heart of a mountain.

Darkness consumed him.

The dream changed and Percy could hear a faint sobbing far in the distance. As the darkness receded he found himself kneeling on a cold stone floor, a limp form in his arms as tears rolled down his face.

He was the one crying.

"No…"

Percy knew where he was, and more importantly, he knew when he was. Grief tore through his heart as he relived this, the worst of his memories.

"Not again…"

He held the form close to himself as he cried, begging to the darkness.

"Please… please, take me from this place."

The voice from before echoed back to him.

 _"What will you choose Perseus?"_

The dream shifted, and again he found himself standing before the marble archway, the same scenes from before flashing before his eyes.

Again, and again the dream repeated. Again, and again the woman asked the same questions. It continued this way for some time before familiar images of waves, creatures and dark blue eyes consumed the rest of his night.

* * *

In the morning, Percy was not surprised to find the dagger by his side. He was fairly sure that it had been the dagger that had brought the change to his dreams later in the night.

Percy sighed.

What would he rather see at night, flashbacks of his past? Or strange visions of the death of an entire nation? He honestly wasn't sure.

A rumbling in his stomach brought his attention away from his wandering thoughts. He hadn't eaten at all yesterday, well, at least not before his harrowing trip between worlds. His stomach growled again and left him with a dull ache lest he forgot that his body was trying to tell him something.

Percy stretched and stuck his head out of the small sea cave he had claimed for the night. Before him, he saw the light coastal water surrounding the small reef he had settled by. Above he could see the light radiating through the water and down to the coral and sandy sea floor. A few fish swam about lazily, enjoying the morning.

Focusing on one of the larger fish he could see, Percy willed the water around the fish to constrict and pulled the fish towards himself. Strangely, the instant Percy had started to manipulate the water around the fish, all of the other fish had instantly fled the area.

Meanwhile, Percy's fish thrashed about and struggled in its confusion as it was speedily pulled towards him.

Not quite trusting the bone dagger, Percy willed a small knife to form in his right hand. With the familiar tug in his gut, a small translucent knife formed in his hand. Never having used this particular aspect of his power while under the water, Percy admired the way light passed through his water knife.

With the knife in hand, Percy looked at the struggling fish that was now in front of him. While not radically different than any earth fish, the fish was oddly misshapen, not in an alien/monster sort of way but a radiation gave me three eyeballs sort of way. Besides its obvious oddness, the fish looked like any normal boned fish native to the colder oceans on earth.

Slightly disturbed, but rather hungry, Percy decided to go for it anyway.

Using the knife he had summoned, Percy quickly flayed the fish and separated the edible meat from the organs. While some might think that a son of Poseidon eating fish was odd, said people clearly did not understand the law of the sea. Anyone who had seen any kind of ocean documentary would know that life in the ocean was a dog eat dog world. And so while Percy loved all creatures of the sea, he also loved how some of them tasted. What? Did you think they ate pizza and hotdogs in Atlantis? Nope. Lots and lots of fish, and sushi, especially sushi.

Percy finished dressing the fish and was about to take a bight when he paused, an idea coming to him. Concentrating on the water surrounding the flayed fish, Percy willed the water to heat up and begin to boil. The sea water resisted, and Percy had to put a lot more energy than he expected into the effort before the water around the fish began to bubble and shimmer.

Wearied from the unexpected struggle, Percy let the heating stop and bit into his breakfast. Aaaaand it was gross, like, really, really gross.

Bitter and unpleasant in taste, Percy gulped down his fish as fast as he could, wanting to get rid of the nasty flavor.

Stomach now sated, though perhaps not happy with the quality of said fish, Percy turned his mind towards his current situation. At the present moment, he was butt naked, with no idea where he was in an unknown world. Oh, and let's not forget that he had a cursed sacrificial dagger following him around.

Alright, two problems on Percy's to-do list. Find clothes, and get rid of one cursed dagger.

His best chance of getting clothes was to find people who had said clothes, because let's be honest, a son of Poseidon does not a crafter make. Through his nautical senses, Percy was able to get a rough image of the islands in the area and that gave him a place to start. Also, if Percy ran into more sea creatures he could ask them if there were any people in the area.

Percy was about to leave his cave when he hesitated and looked back at the white dagger on the cave floor. Picking up several rocks Percy buried the dagger in a small pile of stones. He honestly didn't think it would do any good, but hey, why not give it a shot.

Making his way out of the cavern, Percy pulled on the currents around him and willed them to propel him forward.

After several minutes, he found himself approaching another reef. Drawing close, Percy singled out a grey fish that was darting around and tried to get its attention.

"Ahem. Uh, Mr. Grey fish, uh hello?"

After he spoke, the fish turned in his direction and stopped swimming. A moment passed and Percy tried again.

"Excuse me, Mr. Fish?"

The fish looked at him as if it couldn't believe what it was seeing. Then, just as Percy thought it would never speak, the fish began to dart back and forth erratically as it began o speak.

"Pink creature speaks to grey-scale-Ibu? Yes, pink creature does. Pink creature is stupid, pink creature must flee. Yes, grey-scale-Ibu must flee! All should flee! We must flee! Yes, y.."

"Shut up Ibu!"

From above Percy, an ancient looking sea-turtle drifted down before beginning to slowly swim around Percy. And as the turtle approached eye level it spoke again.

"You'll have to forgive Ibu here, his family was devoured a while back, and he's never quite recovered from that."

The turtle spoke in a surprisingly deep voice, however, the thing did look pretty old.

"Ah, uh, well I'm sorry to hear about that Ibu."

Ibu, already frantic looking enough, seemed to lose his mind and sped frantically away from Percy and the old turtle.

"Don't mind him, he's quite spastic… but then again, most of the fish in these islands are quite spastic. Comes with the territory."

Done with his swimming, the turtle settled onto the sea floor and Percy allowed himself to sink to the seafloor as well. The turtle spoke rather slowly, and in an odd halting fashion, but Percy was just glad that he had found something to speak to.

"Well, thanks for the tip. The little guy did seem rather odd. I'm Percy by the way, what's your name?"

"Percy? Can't say I've heard a name quite like that. I'm known as Innaro, but so is my father, and his father, and his father, but not his father, who was Noryros."

"Uh, I see… Well, its good to meet you Innaro. Mind if I ask you where the nearest human port is?"

The old turtle nodded its head as if considering a deep and meaningful question.

"Yes, yes. Human? Yes, I know of humans."

Slightly surprised, Percy responded. "Really? Where are the nearest ones?"

"Not near I'm afraid, yes, quite far indeed. It has been many, many, many years since humans have entered these seas, though nets may sometimes be spotted in the rocks."

"Wait, so there are or aren't humans here?"

"I have seen no humans in these seas, though I cannot speak what may be on land. Far to the west I often see their wooden vessels, however."

Wooden vessels? Did that mean Percy was stuck in a pre-modern world? He knew the ancient kingdom of these islands hadn't been modern, but that had been a long, long time ago. Innaro had also mentioned nets nearby, so perhaps there was a chance of a nearby settlement? But if not, his best luck of finding people seemed to be heading to the far west. Wherever that was.

"Innaro, you talked about a far west, I do not know the directions of this place. In what direction is West?"

With a gentle motion of its head to the left, Innaro spoke.

"In the direction of the setting sun of course."

For a brief moment, Percy's world blurred and tilted as if he had just stepped off an intense roller coaster. And then just as suddenly as the sensation had come, it had left, but in its place, Percy suddenly felt some of his nautical bearings snap into place. Where before he had a twirling compass, he could now tell which direction was which. As simple as that.

Grinning, Percy asked his next question.

"You mentioned some islands with nets, could you point out one of these islands to me?"

The old turtle nodded and began to rise from the seafloor.

"Yes Percy, I can show you the way. Follow me."

* * *

Butt naked, Percy walked out of the ocean and into the warm light of the afternoon sun.

As helpful as Innaro the old turtle had been, Percy had started to regret asking for his help after several hours of slow, slow travel. He had even summoned a minor current to push them along, but there was only so much he could do to speed the sea turtle along.

After many hours, the turtle had led Percy to an island that was quite a bit larger than the other two he had been at so far. Perhaps a little bigger than Manhattan.

The beach was quite rocky, with the sand more on the size of pebbles. Much like the first island he visited, the majority of the island was covered in a large number of pine trees that surrounded the islands central peak.

Having scoured the beach he was on with no sign of any nets, Percy began to make his way around the circumference of the island.

* * *

Exhausted, weak, and in pain, Percy struggled to hold the metal door. Across from him, similar pain evident on her face, Annabeth struggled with the other door. Sweat dripped from her brow as the muscles in her arms shook from the effort of holding closed the doors of death.

"Percy, I don't think… I don't think I'm going to make it."

Her words were feeble, all her strength exhausted from the tremendous effort of holding the door.

"Just a few more minutes Annabeth, just hold on, we are almost there!"

For a moment, he could see Annabeth's resolve strengthen, but no sooner had this happened when her entire body gave out.

Now without a force to keep it closed, the other door began to slowly open, strange light poured through the widening gap. With a tremendous effort, Percy lunged forward and caught the other door before it opened too far. Struggling with all his might, his hands flat on the slick metal of the doors, Percy slowly pushed the doors closed.

Screaming in pain and trembling with exhaustion, it was all Percy could do to hold the doors.

Minutes the length of eternity passed by, and with each moment Percy struggled on the precipice of defeat. And when all his effort seemed to be for not, a faint ding sounded from above his head. In an instant, the force trying to tear the doors open ceased, and Percy found himself collapsing forward as the doors opened, darkness greeting him.

The darkness swirled around him, the mist given form, and Percy found himself standing at a familiar cobbled crossroads.

A Gods medaling, he was sure. There was no other explanation for how he had been walking along a sidewalk one moment, and then standing in an ancient Greek crossroads the next.

In the darkness, he could see little more than the stones beneath his feet. On his back, he felt the weight of his backpack, and from his side, he saw a familiar ball cap stuffed under his belt. Hot anger burned in his chest, fierce and angry. He had an objective, and he wasn't going to let some random God stop him.

Light suddenly flared in the form of two torches held by a woman standing before him.

" _Perseus Jackson. You have taken the first steps on a disastrous journey. Your intentions will do nothing but bring pain and suffering to those you love."_

"Are you here to stop me then?"

Riptide was in his hand, his thumb ready to remove the cap on a moment's notice. He was wary, hesitant even. He knew this Goddess and he wasn't confident in his odds against her.

" _No Perseus, stopping you is not my place. However, it is my responsibility to present you with your choices. You are at a crossroads Perseus, but what choice you make is your prerogative. I will not stand in your way."_

* * *

It was now Percy's third day in this new world, and he was still in the process of looking for human life on this larger island. He had spent the night in the ocean again rather than find some shelter on the island. At least in the ocean, Percy didn't have to worry about his junk freezing off. Speaking off which, some part of Percy had come to enjoy the feeling of walking around stalkers. He had never really had the chance before and there was something quite liberating about it. Freezing, but liberating

Also, he had been quite relieved when he had woken up in the morning without the dagger by his side. Apparently, rocks had anti cursed dagger properties, who knew?

With the absence of the dagger, he had spent the night without a repeat of the dagger's visions. But that didn't mean that he had had a peaceful night either. Memories haunted his dreams. Memories he would have been happy to leave behind.

After several hours of poking around the coast of the island, Percy eventually came across a small cove that had shallow cliffs rather than any beaches. Hanging from the cliffs were several ropes that were clearly supporting some weight beneath the waves. Excited at the possibility of finally finding some people, Percy hurried forward to examine the nearest rope.

While sturdy, the rope was plainly handmade and not of a very high quality. Percy tested the weight of the nearest by pulling up on the rope. Not to heavy. Curious to see what they were trying to catch, Percy began to haul the rope in, his eyes on the spot where the line fed into the sea. After a few handfuls of rope, what appeared to be some kind of wicker cage emerged from the salty waves. And inside, he could faintly make our crabs crawling around.

"Huh, Crab cages."

While the design was inefficient and the method clearly odd, it was at least being successful for the fisherman who had set them. Perhaps he could give them a few tips?

Caught up in his examination of the handiwork, Percy failed to hear the sound of someone approaching. However, he did not fail to hear the gasp and scream that followed.

Twirling around, rope and crab cage now forgotten, Percy's eyes found the source of the scream. Behind him, no more than a few feet away, was a woman. Well, Percy was pretty sure she was a woman. She had a slender figure, wide hips, two arms, two legs, and oh yes, she wore no top (the breasts were the main giveaway).

But that is where all similarities to normal people ended. The woman's skin was plainly green in the light of the midday sun, and her head was completely bald. And as she began to speak in an odd jabbering language he could see that her teeth were filled with points.

The woman screamed again, snapping Percy out of his shock, and began to yell in her foreign tongue.

{Heathen! Heathen by the nets! Heathen! He is stealing our food!}

Clearly panicked by his presence, the green woman had backed into a nearby rock, her eyes wide with terror. Surprised and slightly panicked himself by her reaction, Percy wasn't exactly sure what to do. Realizing however that yelling, panic, and terror were not his friends, Percy raised his hands and attempted to sooth the woman.

"Hey, hey… you don't need to freak out, I'm just looking for a village."

Rather than calming her, his soothing words caused the exact opposite to happen. Apparently, words were no longer acceptable as the woman had abandoned her spoken tongue and was now continuously letting out a blood-curdling scream.

With the severity of her reaction, uneasiness and began to take hold of Percy and he was beginning to wonder if perhaps he should vacate the area. His suspicions were confirmed as pain blossomed in his bicep, and Percy looked down to find a sticky dart lodged in his arm. Not a moment later several more green-skinned people ran out of the woods surrounding him, anger clearly written on their faces.

"By Zeus's balls, I can't catch a break!"

Done with the green people and their demigod-directed-aggression, Percy took off in the opposite direction, heading for the cliff. Pain radiated from his feet as he made his way over the rocky terrain, more darts flying past him. He hadn't been far from where he left the rope and cage, and it took only a few moments for him to reach the cliff and dive into the sea.

Sometimes Percy really hated his luck.

* * *

Down in the depths of the sea once again, Percy turned his attention to the dart lodged in his bicep. From the numb feeling around the area of the wound, he was pretty sure that the natives had poisoned the dart with something. With a deep breath and a quick tug, the dart was free. He scrubbed vigorously around the wound, trying to remove the tacky feeling that the poison had left, and allowed the saltwater to mend his wound.

Even now, years after having discovered his godly parentage, it still amazed Percy to see his flesh knit together and mend under the water.

Percy sighed.

He had wanted to find people, well, he had found them alright. And one of their darts had found him. Percy was actually surprised to find any people at all living on these islands. Even now, leagues away from the sunken city, he could still feel the echoes of power. This place was cursed, and the evidence of it was all around him. The waters, the city, the odd sea life, and the distinctly more odd people, all subject to the same twisted remnant of power. And even though the green people had attacked him, Percy felt pity for them.

He remembered the images he had seen in the dagger's visions, the drowning people, cast aside by their God. Now all that was left were twisted mockeries of people. Deep in his heart, a familiar anger sparked.

But with that smallest spark, Percy pulled his thoughts away from the vision and clamped down hard on his emotions.

"No, I am done with Gods and the games they play."

It was time for him to leave this cursed archipelago. The ancient turtle Innaro had spoken of people from the far West.

Allowing himself to rise towards the surface of the Ocean, Percy rolled his shoulders and stretched.

It was time for a swim.

* * *

Percy had never had any experiences with meditation, but if he was to imagine what it was like, the days following his departure from the archipelago would be his closest bet. There was something about spending hours on end placing one arm in front of the other for hours on end that pulled his mind away from the present.

Day after day, hour after hour, Percy swam. With the skills of a Son of Poseidon and the currents behind him, Percy sped along quite fast across the sea. But there was something about the open ocean that deceived one's senses, for the horizon never moved, just sat there, just beyond reach.

As the days passed, Percy found himself in a repetitive cycle. Swim, eat, rest, repeat. Fish were plenty and the ocean was always warm enough to let him sleep in comfort. Swim, eat, rest, repeat.

He would often find himself having swum for hours without ever having a conscious thought. Just the rush of the water flowing around him, the waves rolling across the horizon.

Swim, eat, rest, repeat.

It was in this near-meditative state that dreams began to visit him.

Swim, eat, rest, repeat.

A young woman, dressed in shredded rags laying before him. Blond hair covered in grime and blood. Cuts and bruises littered her body. Slowly, ever so slowly the cuts mended and the bruises faded and sweet nectar was poured down her throat. They all left her, skin unblemished, except for one.

Swim, eat, rest, repeat.

Dark puncture marks, mottled and bloody on the back of her shoulder. Dyeing veins and sickly blood evident beneath her skin. What was this?

Percy's head was foggy, his senses clouded as he looked about the dark chamber. Blurred shapes darted about a tall figure wreathed in darkness. Beyond the echoing, in his ears, he thought he could hear yelling, the clanging of metal on metal. But near him, not too far, he thought he could see a light, two lanterns burning bright.

Swim, eat, rest, repeat.

He called out to the lights, asking, no, pleading for help. And come it did. A face, beautiful and serene in the light of the lanterns, blond hair spilling about a dark dress.

"Help her… please. Nectar won't help."

Hands moved about the injury, the one he loved wounded and helpless. He held his breath, pleading to the Gods.

" _I'm sorry Perseus. This is the venom of Arachne. Perhaps if she had been treated immediately, but now… it is too late. There is nothing you or I can do."_

No… it couldn't be. She was strong, something as weak as venom couldn't take her down. No, he couldn't, didn't believe it. Reaching out he took Annabeth's limp form in his arms and held her close to himself. He could feel her chest rise with her shallow breaths. Up, down. Up, Down. Up… Down. Up… Down…

He waited, knowing that her next breath would come, but it never did.

Weak, and barely conscious, tears fell down Percy Jackson's face.

Swim, eat, rest, repeat.

* * *

It was the shouting of men and the creaking of rope and oar that finally brought Percy out of his trance.

No more than three hundred feet before him, a large squat sailing ship rolled in the water. In the style of what one would expect to see in medieval Europe or ancient Rome, the ship creaked and moaned as sailors ran about the deck and the rigging.

Amazed at the sight, and more than slightly disoriented from suddenly emerging from his swim, it took a few moments for Percy to figure out exactly what it was that the sailors were doing.

Alongside the fat vessel, several small rowboats struggled with several thrashing ropes that caused the little dinghies to jerk violently up and down in the water. The men all over were yelling and shouting, trying to relay instructions as the water between the vessels churned erratically.

Confused, Percy ducked under water to see what could possibly be causing this scenario.

And as he did so, what was happening clicked into place.

Below the ship and the little rowboats, a large whale thrashed about in the water, thick harpoons piercing its flesh.

Whalers, he had stumbled upon whalers.

In a conversation Percy had once had with his father, Poseidon had expressed his opinion on the matter. When it came to the harvesting the creatures of the sea, it was about need. The sea was full of life and was able to provide for the needs of man, and when used wisely, Poseidon had no quarrel with man. But when the lives of the sea were tossed casually aside as if they did not matter, that provoked the anger of Poseidon.

Whalers were sort of a grey area. In ancient times whales provided rare and valuable materials that were hard to find in other places. But in the modern world, whales were no longer needed as a resource.

Percy wasn't Poseidon however, and he wasn't fond of killing creatures he had spent hours talking to throughout his life. But Percy needed to talk to these people, hades, he at least needed some clothes and a warm meal. And freeing their prey probably wasn't the best introduction he could manage.

He was about to sit back and wait for them to finish their hunt when something caught his eye. Bellow the struggling whale and young, and confused whale calf swam alongside its mother.

Of course, it just had to be a mother. And just like that, Percy knew he had to intervene.

As Percy surged forward under the water he cursed under his breath.

"By Hera's beard, one day I'm going to get myself killed."

Underneath the whale, Percy knew the freeing the creature would be tricky and dangerous. The creature had at least three harpoons lodged under its skin with ropes tied to them giving the creature little room to move.

While still violently thrashing about, it was clear that the whale was getting tired.

Doing his best to not be hit by the struggling creature, Percy made his way up the whale's eye level and spoke to the creature's mind.

"PEACE, I am here to free you! I am going to sever the ropes! When you hear my voice again, dive beneath the waves and flee this place!"

In the great struggle of the whale, no definitive answer came, but he could sense the whale's acknowledgment amongst its pain and confusion. But rather than waiting for his signal, the creature began to make a great attempt to dive deeper into the sea.

Percy cursed, this was just making the situation worse. He couldn't just cut the rope, or he would tip off the Whalers with the suspiciously clean cuts of the rope. No, he was going to have to cut the harpoons from the whale.

He just hoped that the creature wouldn't bleed to death.

Summoning a blade of water to his hand, Percy surged forward, narrowly avoiding the creatures thrashing body and the twisting ropes of the Whalers. As he quickly made his way along its body, Percy grabbed the harpoon between his legs as he worked to cut the spear free. After a few blood pounding minutes, the harpoon came free. One down.

The second was not too far, and in a few more minutes the second was free.

But with the release of the second harpoon, the whale had felt its expanding freedom and began to thrash more violently than ever.

Struggling to make his way to the final harpoon, Percy was knocked around violently several times before he reached it. Grasping the harpoon tightly with his left hand, Percy swung the blade in his right hand in a powerful arc and cut deeply into the whale's flesh. And with one final pull, the final harpoon came free.

Heart pounding, and hands clutched tightly, Percy watched as the whale finally descended into the ocean.

* * *

After several minutes had passed, Percy swam under the fat boat and began to call up to the men manning the vessel.

In short order, the sailors had spotted him and thrown out a line to haul him aboard.

As Percy tumbled onto the deck of the ship and attempted to stand, he realized how tired he truly was. Naked and trembling, Percy stood before the sailors that had assembled to pull him from the sea. The men were squat, but broad in the shoulders. Many of them wore only pants with their arms and chest covered with a thick layer of hair. Bearded and with wide faces the men stared oddly at him.

No, not at him. But at the white dagger clutched firmly in his right hand.

* * *

Three arches, old and ancient. One to the North, one to the East, and one to the West.

Through the North, Percy could see himself standing before a flaming brazier, bloody entrails in his hands.

Through the East, visions of a grey-eyed Goddess, trapped in Golden chains, Percy standing before her, Riptide drawn.

And in the West, the ever-flashing images of an unknown world.

He was once again in his dreams of the past, the memory bright and vivid.

" _You must make a choice Perseus. Every choice has consequences, and every consequence, a price."_

 _Her_ voice echoed through the stone courtyard, Hecate's voice.

Percy stood, torn between the three gateways. His heart was full of tormented emotions. Pain, anger, regret, hate, guilt, and sorrow. He wanted to do something. No, needed to do something. Her blood called for vengeance, and their recklessness called for justice. Anger pulling him to the North. Hate, to the East.

But in the West… nothing.

" _Yes, Perseus. Sometimes the best action is inaction. Sometimes one must choose to let go."_

The words pulled at him, pleaded for him to relent. Deep inside himself, his anger twisted and rolled like the stormy sea.

"No! I can't let this go. They deserve what is coming to them, she deserves justice!"

Again, the voice flowed through the intersection.

" _This I can not deny. Do not forget that I fought against them in the Titan war Perseus."_

"Then why do you defend them?! For too long have I allowed their arrogance and cruel judgments. I can stand by no longer!"

" _But what price would the world pay for your justice, Perseus Jackson? If you choose the path North you would leave the world without a definitive rule. And where there is no law, evil will flourish. While the Gods may be corrupt and capricious at times, they are not the evil of the Titans or the wrathful Gaea."_

" _If you choose the East you will forever sow distrust between the Gods and their children, setting the foundation for generations of bloodshed. Perhaps your justice would be rightful and good, but I ask again Percy. At what price?"_

" _Is it worth the bloodshed? Is it worth the pain you would bring to the innocent? Is this what she would want Percy?"_

Percy knew the Goddess was right. He couldn't go forward with it, he couldn't do this to the world, and to his friends. But he couldn't stand by and do nothing either.

"I can't watch my friends suffer, I won't stand by and do nothing! I wish I could, I wish I could go back to the times when I thought all was well in the world, but I can't."

" _This I know Perseus. So if you can not go back, and you will not go forward either, perhaps you should take another path? Let things stand as they are for greater good of all man, take the path to the left. It is not a choice I have given to others."_

"Where will it take me?"

" _To another world, a place which will not fall when you do what is right. A world young enough to withstand justice and still let mercy flow. A place where you will be free from the troubles of this world."_

Percy shifted from where he stood, drawn towards the Westward facing archway. As he drew nearer, wisps of mist drifted from the gateway, and curled about him, tempting him, calling him forward. His heart was bursting with emotions, how much he longed for revenge. But oh how much he longed for peace, a place where he may rest from the troubles of his life.

"What about my friends, my family… what will become of them?"

" _They will be taken care of Perseus, they would be told that you sacrificed yourself to save them from trouble and torment."_

"Would I ever… would I ever come back?"

" _No Perseus. As your fate would be loosed from loom of the Moirai and into the world to which you would travel. On Earth, none may escape the fates, not even a God. But in that world, your fate would be your own, you could not return."_

"What do you mean? I do not understand."

" _I mean what I say, your fate will be your own. No more prophecies, no more fates, you may do what you choose to do."_

Time stretched by as Percy looked through the gateway into the world beyond.

" _What will you choose Perseus?"_

Percy glanced back at the other gateways, the visions of what could be flashing in their depths. Could he do it? Could he turn his back on the world of the Gods? Could he reject them and their ways and leave earth?

" _Choose Perseus"_

"I will go this other way."

Percy felt a hand settle on his shoulder and heard Hecate's voice once more.

" _So be it, Perseus Jackson. Know that I am grateful for your choice this day. This gift shall help you on your journey."_

And as she spoke in a quiet whisper he felt cold energy rush into him from where the Goddesses hand rested on his shoulder.

" _So long Perseus Jackson."_

With her words Percy began to feel a pull emanating from the gate, drawing him like a magnet towards its entrance.

"Tell my mother and father that I love them."

" _I will."_

Percy stepped into the darkness.

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'm sure by now a few of you know where Percy arrived, right? Well, I hope so. I can't be the only AsoIaF Nerd around here.


	3. Pt 1 - The Dam Breaks

**Disclaimer:** I own no property rights for either ASoIaF, or Percy Jackson

 **AN:** Im back baby!

 **For those reading on a computer, I recommend reading in 1/2 screen.** (This is accessed by selecting the paragraph button above the story and then clicking 1/2)

Enjoy. :D

* * *

 **Bay of Whales, off the coast of IB**

There was something about the open sea that spoke deeply to Percy. Something about the freedom of the open horizons and the liberating breath of the salty breeze.

He took a deep breath in, savoring the scent of it all.

Percy couldn't be exactly sure how long it had been, but he was fairly sure that nearly a month had passed since he had literally face planted into a new world. And even though it had been a few days since he had run into the first civilized beings of this world, words could still not describe the relief he still felt at the fact that he wasn't the only person on this planet.

Percy had nobody in this world (gods how that thought was depressing), but at least there were people. It might not have been true when Percy was younger, but after all of his truly insane adventures, he could sincerely say that he had come to love people. The ways they lived, how they fought and struggled, it was fascinating to witness and an honor to be a part of.

When Percy had first met the Ibbenese, the whalers whom inadvertently rescued him, he had been absolutely elated to find beings that didn't want to immediately kill him. The moment he had been hauled aboard he had been torn between either passing out right there on the deck or giving a large hug to the satyr-esk looking men out of sheer joy. Fortunately, his addled mind had decided that neither was a very good option.

A big shock that day was the discovery that somehow as if to defy all sense, he was able to speak and understand something known as the trader's tongue. Percy had never before been able to magically speak a language, it just wasn't a Poseidon thing (this isn't of course including his ability to speak to horses and fish, that was more of an understanding between beings than an exact language per se). Gods, he had lived among demigods, monsters, and gods for years and his Greek was still barely passable.

His best guess was that it might have to do with the 'gift' that he had been given right before he had stepped through the gateway that had sent him here. Percy just hoped that it didn't end up biting him in the butt, because it's not like that had ever happened before.

Then, of course, there was the deeply unpleasant revelation that came about shortly after he had been hauled aboard. It was, of course, the discovery that when he had summoned a dagger of water to free the whale, it had not been water at all. Instead, it turned out he had summoned the bone dagger to his hand.

Apparently, the dagger had decided to teach him a lesson about sticking his nose where it didn't belong. Via experimentation, i.e. repeatedly throwing the dagger overboard, Percy determined that there was no way to get rid of the damned thing. The first contact he had with sea water, whether that be sticking his hand in the ocean, or in a bucket of salt water, the cursed dagger would there appear.

Fortunately, besides randomly materializing from seawater, and making him hear the dying screams of an entire civilization, the dagger was harmless. In the end, he decided that if he couldn't get rid of it, that he might as well keep it where it wouldn't bother him. Since that point, he had kept it in the birth that the sailors had provided for him.

After the odd introduction of his naked self kneeling on the deck of their ship, the Ibbenese were cordial, though not quite approachable. The Captain, the generous soul that he was, decided to allow Percy to assist the crew until they returned to their home, Ibben.

His gratitude had gone through the roof when they had given him a simple pair of thread worn trousers to wear. They hadn't quite fit that well, but it was better than walking around with his manhood for all to see.

Besides the captain and the mate that had been assigned to 'overseeing' him, it didn't seem as if any of the other crew could speak the trader's tongue. That, or they were just ignoring him. He couldn't quite tell.

Proceeding their 'failed' capture of the whale it seemed that the Ibbenese Captain had decided to turn back as they were running low on provisions. Since then, Percy had assisted in keeping the ship orderly and clean, even occasionally helping with the actual sailing of the vessel. For the most part, however, as long as he had mopped the decks and cleared the bilge they left him alone.

Percy was currently perched on the front rail of the whaling ship with his feet resting on the ship's bowsprit. That being the spar that extends out from the ship's bow, often used to anchor the foresail. Depending on the weather, the spot he occupied wasn't necessarily the safest. But when they entered what the Captain had named the Bay of Whales, the wind had died down and now there were hardly any waves to speak of.

The whaling ship itself, a single-masted lateen, was rather wide and low in the water. While slow bulky, the ship seemed extremely tough. Which made sense for a ship that hunted whales. On their journey, they had passed several ships in the distance, and it seems that Lateen rigging was the predominate sail rigging in these parts. Which to Percy was rather odd.

Back on earth, Lateen Rigging had been developed in the Mediterranean, near the end of the Roman Empire, to take advantage of the constantly shifting winds prevalent there. It later becomes quite popular during the Age of Discovery as it allowed a ship to sail partly into the wind, something that the simple square rigs of the Greeks and early Romans could not do.

The key to this revolutionary ability was the triangular sail that had a far greater ability to adjust to the wind then the typical square rigging.

While Percy had never studied the history of sailing or even been taught how to sail, he always seemed to know exactly what he needed in any giving sailing situation. Call it a perk of being a son of the Sea God. And with the time he had spent on this ship over the last few weeks, a plethora of information had awoken in his mind.

Percy could see that the added maneuverability of lateen rigging would assist the whaling ship, but not that much. What was odd about it was that the entire time Percy had been on and in this ocean, called the Shivering Sea, a cold wind had constantly blown from the north. At times the wind in question had faded, though it was not long before it would return.

With such a prevailing northerly wind and the continent to the south, there wasn't really a need for a lateen rig. Not only would a square rig be sturdier during storms, but a square rig was far faster in a dead run, or in other words, with the wind coming from behind the ship.

In addition to this, Percy had noticed that while the Ibbenese sailors were competent, they were far from the skill level that he would have expected from a ship of professional lifelong sailors. With this being the case, it made him wonder where their ship design had come from as he was willing to bet that it wasn't theirs.

The crew of the whaler had been less than amenable to conversation, though they often chatted in their barking, halting native language. Because of this, Percy hadn't really been able to determine much about them or other people of this world, besides that fact that he wasn't the only 'hairless one' out there.

Percy was pulled out of his thoughts as the ship rounded a cliff and came in view of their destination.

\- AGM -AGM -AGM -

 **Port of Ibben**

During his life and childhood in New York, Percy had seen a fair number of seaside docks. And as familiar as they had become for him, he could now see that there was a vast difference between one of those orderly docks and the insane hustle and bustle of the port that was now spread before him.

Dozens of ships were scattered through the port, many of them nearly identical in design to the whaler he was on. Along the wharf, many ships were loading and unloading goods and supplies while even more ships were moored at anchor lines scattered throughout the bay.

The ship that Percy had arrived on was currently docked and already in the process of unloading the spoils of their trip. Large casks of oil and bags of blubber we're already stacking up around him. They had barely docked when the captain had shown him off the ship and was now pointing out where he should go.

"You see these walls stranger?" The captain asked while pointing at the tall wooden palisade that surrounded the port of Ibben. Percy could tell that he wasn't really expecting an answer.

"The city of Ibben lies beyond those walls and is strictly forbidden to hairless ones like yourself. Pass beyond those gates and you'll find yourself without a head. Understand?"

Percy quirked his eyebrow but didn't question the man's words, after all, he was rather attached to his head. the man gestured behind Percy and along with the series of docks that lined the port.

"You'll find more of your kind that way."

And before Percy could make a comment, the Captain had turned and walked away.

Well, it seems that he had outstayed his welcome.

Percy began making his way in the direction the captain had pointed out. As Percy had noticed earlier he could see that the entirety of the port of Ibben was surrounded by a wooden Palisade that was facing its defenses towards the port. Clearly, these people took the defense of their City seriously. As he walked his way through the port he noticed that the vast majority of the buildings were simply warehouses and stores, with very few of the taverns and Inns that one might expect at a port.

After several minutes of walking to the west, and many of the Ibbenese pointedly ignoring him, the port tapered down to one well-worn street. The street followed the ocean for about 200 yards or so before it ended at what looked to be some sort of guard house. The gate was open and Percy passed through without a problem.

On just the other side of the gate, Percy found an enclosed booth manned by the first normal-looking person Percy at seen in this world. With a huge grin on his face, Percy walked right up to the man.

The individual in question was of average height but looked particularly thin and gangly. He seemed to have his attention focused on a stack of parchment in front of him.

"Hey, do you speak the trader's tongue?"

"Of course, how else would you expect a man to do business?"

With this the man diverted his attention and looked up at Percy, raising his eyebrows as he saw Percy's appearance, namely the lack of a shirt and any shoes to speak of.

"And how... exactly, can I assist you?"

"Hypothetically speaking, where would you go if you were looking for the closest, biggest city around? Specifically, a city of men, not these Ibbenese."

The clerk, as that is what Percy guessed he was, looked at him like he was an idiot.

"Look, I don't have time to spare for a sailor looking for a laugh. I am a busy man and I have half a mind to speak to your captain. Do I look like some sort of idiot? The nearest civilized city Is over 700 leagues to the west. And that's if you count Lorath as a civilized city. The free City of Braavos is another 90 leagues past that."

Percy's mouth dropped open. One nautical League was nearly 3.5 miles. That meant that he was over two thousand miles from a non-Ibbenese city. No wonder the Ibbenese Captain had treated him like such an oddity.

This Clerk seemed like he knew what he was talking about. Percy couldn't afford to pass up such a good source of information. Time to put his fibbing skills to the test.

Raising his hands in a calming gesture, Percy tried to reassure the man.

"Hey, I didn't mean anything by it. I just arrived here on an Ibbenese whaling ship coming in from the east."

Seeing the man's eyebrows climb further towards the sky, Percy hurried to finish his explanation.

"I promise, I'm not trying to pull your leg. I lived in a small town on the coast east of here. I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it. My home was recently destroyed though and I'm trying to make my way to civilization. I'm really not trying to make fun of you."

Whether it was his words or the sincere puppy-like expression on his face, the Clerk seemed to calm down a little bit.

"I see... well that explains your appearance at least. I assume then that you were sincere in your question about the nearest city. Fortunately, you are in the right place."

The man picked up a piece of parchment and looked at a roughly drawn harbor map on the wall. From the map, Percy could see a bit better how the port of Ibben was constructed. In appearance, the port looked like an infinity sign with the left portion far smaller than the right. The larger portion, namely the section in the east, had little detail and a great many docks.

The left section, however, was fairly detailed with births numbered along the length of the harbor. From the map and all of the papers, Percy assumed that this man was probably some sort of Harbor Master for the non-Ibbenese portion of the port.

"Well, most of our trade comes from Lorath and Braavos, but we get the occasional ship from Pentos and the Westerosi North. Not many whales in those parts you see. And it appears that you are in luck, I had a Braavosi captain here not 30 minutes ago informing me of his departure. If you hurry you might catch them."

The clerk gestured towards a birth on the map and then traced his finger back towards where Percy assumed they were.

Grinning and waving his thanks, Percy took off towards the ship in question.

A few minutes of running later, and Percy found himself in front of the ship and he took a moment to just admire its fine craftsmanship. The ship was similar to a caravel from Earth's Age of Sail, though longer and leaner in design, sitting a tad lower in the water. It had two purple sales, both currently furled along their respective yardarms. From what he could observe it seemed a fine trading vessel.

The crew was working up and down the vessel preparing the sails and rigging for their intended journey. Already he could see several crew members taking positions with oars getting ready for the ship to make way.

"Ho Braavosi ship!" He yelled out, hoping to catch the attention of the crew.

"I am looking to speak to your captain!" A few of crew looked his way and Percy could hear some shouting before an olive-skinned man with a close cut beard stepped up to the ship's bulwark. He quickly looked Percy up and down before speaking.

"Ho stranger. I'm afraid we are just about to cast off, you will have to conduct your business elsewhere."

He gave a wave and was turning away when Percy called out to him, attempting to grab the captain's attention. He was not anxious to lose this opportunity.

"I'm a sailor looking for passage west, I'm fine with no pay, I'll work for rations and a place to sleep!"

The captain stopped and looked back at Percy.

"You're a little big for a sailor, are you sure you know what you are asking for? I don't tolerate liars aboard my ship."

"If you aren't satisfied with my work you can throw me off the ship! I promise I won't let you down."

The captain sighed before gesturing for Percy to come aboard.

"You are lucky, we lost a man in a foul storm on our way out here. Why don't you come aboard?"

Percy grinned, it seemed like today was his lucky day.

As the ship was nearly ready to depart, they had already removed the boarding ramp, but that shouldn't be a problem. The top of the ship's bulwark was just a tad taller than his height. He took a few steps back before sprinting forward and jumping off the dock. It was hardly the hardest jump he had ever had to make, and in a moment, Percy had grabbed the top of the ship's bulwark and hauled himself up and onto the ship.

As soon as he was on the deck of the ship, the captain was walking up to him with another man. While the captain came up to his chest, the second man was just above Percy's shoulders. The captain himself was a stocky man, and though not dressed in finery, Percy could tell that there were of high quality when compared to the sailors preparing to cast off.

The man beside the captain was clean shaven and had his dark wavy hair tied back in a ponytail. He looked at Percy with confidence that spoke of the experience as the captain introduced himself.

"I am Ballan Sanat, and this ship is my Lady Heron. What is your name stranger?"

Percy reached his hand out to shake Ballan's hand as he responded.

"Percy Jackson, and thank you for having me, Captain. It's been some time since I've been able to have a normal conversation, the Ibbenese I was with wasn't too chatty."

"You sailed under an Ibbenese captain? I find that hard to believe considering their known distaste for outsiders."

Percy should his head. "No, I apologize, I was not on their crew, they were my ride here. I come from a small fishing village east of here, I've decided to head into the more civilized parts."

"I see, very interesting. Regardless, I don't have time at the moment to be guiding you about by the hand." At this point, he gestured to his side towards the second man. "This here is Malaro, my first mate. He will instruct you in your duties and show you an empty birth you can sleep in."

With Percy's assent, the captain nodded his head and then left him with the First Mate, off to oversee the ship's departure.

Percy offered his hand out toward Malaro, hoping to make a good impression on his new boss.

"Show me where I'm needed!"

\- AGM -AGM -AGM -

 **The Free City of Braavos**

His journey with the Braavosi ship had been a far sight more pleasant than his trip with the Ibbenese. At first, the crew had been a bit hesitant with a newcomer, but a day or so of hard work and an ocean storm had a way of making fast friends of strangers. While Percy had never actually served on a ship, he had the instincts of a weathered sailor. In no time at all Percy was laughing with the crew and telling tales (albeit altered) of his own.

The first mate Malaro, though stern in regards to his duties, was a friendly man, always willing to give a helping hand or offer a small tip. Being new to the crew, Percy often worked night shifts under the supervision of Malaro. Some nights were busier than others, but on many calm nights, Percy was able to sit near the man while he helmed the ship and listen to his many stories of far off cities and close calls with feral pirates.

Through the nights and days, Percy formed friendships with many of the crew, but Malaro was something else entirely, more of a hard working uncle that knew how to tell a joke or get down and wrestle with the younger kids. Percy didn't know this, but Malaro and the Captain were fairly impressed with the kind-hearted man. Not only was he a hard worker, but had a way of smoothing arguments and tempers before they ever came to a head.

When they had arrived in Braavos earlier in the morning, they had docked on a small islet known as Chequy Port. Apparently, all incoming ships would dock here so that customs officers could inspect the ship's hold. After they had docked, the Captain had taken him aside and given him a small pouch of coins. They had apparently lost a man on the trip to Ibben and had been very appreciative of Percy's hard work on the way back. Percy had tried to beg off, but the kindly Captain had insisted.

What's more, the Captain had asked after Percy's plans in the city, and when he had admitted to having none, the Captain had invited him to join their crew. After a long trip to Ibben, they wouldn't be leaving again for more than a week, and the Captain would be more than happy to have him along. Percy was blown away by the offer and told him that he would think about it.

With the trip mostly over, the Captain had Malaro ferry Percy to the city proper and there had given him instructions and directions towards a suitable area of inns and taverns that were neither high class or in the slums.

Malaro had given Percy a firm handshake and a happy smile, and then Percy was off, free in a new city.

The city of Braavos was different from anything Percy had experienced to this point, though not completely alien. After an extended period of isolation from human contact, it was so very refreshing to be surrounded once more by bustling crowds and the noise of civilization. In some ways, this new city reminded him of New York, but it differed in many other ways. Every city had a smell, New York was no exception, with iron, motor oil and salt being just part of it. But Braavos had a smell all its own, composed of salt, brine, and perhaps some time of mold? Percy imagined this is what the city of Venice probably smelled like, surrounded as it is by water.

Elated to be in a city once more, Percy found himself stopping from time to time as he took in the sights and sound of a foreign city.

It was not long before Percy found a tavern that he had been directed to by Captain Sanat. The tavern was small, not too large, and Percy could feel the happy environment of the place as soon as he walked in. The tables were full, the bar was busy, and the stage was the center attention.

Nearly as soon as the sights before him registered in his mind, Percy was struck by the smell of fresh bread and cooking meat hanging thick in the air. At that moment, Percy's stomach stated it's a violent desire for hot food, a desire that had now long been denied. With a big fat smile on his face and a coin in his hand, Percy strode briskly to the bar and caught the attention of the first server he could.

"Say, what's the lovely smell in the air?"

A portly man with a flushed face answered Percy's question.

"That be the nights' stew, my friend. We also got some fresh loaves coming out of the oven. Interested?"

"You could definitely say that."

A brief passing of words and the exchange of coin saw an extra large bowl of stew and a hearty chunk of bread in Percy's hands. Giddy with excitement for his first real food in some time, Percy found the first seat he could and dove into his food.

The thick broth was seasoned with vegetables and chunks of meat that were utterly delightful as he quickly poured it down his throat. The bread, while the little firm, was still warm and complemented the remainder of his stew as he wiped the bowl clean. Now full and sated for the first time in a while, Percy slumped back against the wall his seat was next to.

In that divine moment, if by some divine miracle ambrosia had found its way before him, Percy knew he would taste the divine meal he had just devoured. It was so much better than the simple tack and salted fish that had been his daily meal upon the Lady Heron.

His grumbling tummy now filled, Percy allowed his attention to drift towards the entertainment on stage. A man was perched on a stool and held a flute of some kind to his lips, as he played a cheerful song that had his captive audience stopping and singing along. Percy did not know the tune, though that did not surprise him.

Song after song the man played his flute, to the continuing entertainment of the Tavern. After some time the man swiftly stood from his perch, gave a flamboyant bow and thanked the crowd for their time. He was nearly off the stage before the barking of the crowd for one more song turned him back.

The performer stated that he would grace them with one more tune before he left for the night.

What followed was a song unlike the rest of the jolly tunes he had previously played. The mood was somber, though not quite mournful. Its drifting melody wandered over hills and comely meadows, through hearth and home and back again. He had never heard it before, but it's lilting, almost haunted notes pulled at his heart, and uncovered the feelings he didn't even realize he was hiding.

Somehow, through all the days and weeks in which he had been in this word, he had not allowed himself to come face to face with his choice, and the situation in which he now found himself in. True, he had experienced that long and disorienting state of mind as he swam towards what he know knew as Ibben. But even though the memories had been near, his feelings had been far away.

Since he had arrived in this world, he had gone from moment to moment, making choices that led him towards survival and civilization. With all of the dangerous and unexpected situations he had found himself in over the years, his reactions were beyond instinct, they were ingrained into him, a skill that had allowed him to survive many times when perhaps he otherwise should not have.

And while all of that training and ingrained demigod instinct had allowed him to survive, again and again, it did very little to address the emotional component that came with it. And this time, this time he did not have friends with which he could share the burden.

Somehow, this lonesome melody had caused him to come face to face with reality. While he had found people and civilization, they were in a period of time far distant from the one he knew and their culture was alien and new. It was only by some unknown power, either through his Father or Hecate that he knew at least one language. But the truth was, that even surrounded as he was by people, he was completely alone. He had no one.

Surrounded by this unknown melody that had somehow passed by all the barriers he had placed over his heart, Pery allowed himself to do the one thing he had forbidden himself from doing. He faced the truth.

Annabeth was dead.

She had died in his arms.

In his fury, he had decided to confront Athena, to kill her if he could.

But Hecate of all people had stopped him. No, that is not true. She did not stop him, but she had offered a different path. And he took it.

But if it hadn't been for Hecate, he would have done the unthinkable.

He had it all planned out. First, he would have slipped into the throne room to sacrifice his old friend Bessie the Ophiotaurus, for the power to kill a god. Then, he would have made his way to her palace and done everything in his power to kill the one that was responsible for the death of the woman he loved.

When Hecate had confronted him, she had shown him the two paths his actions would have caused. One where he failed and the trust between the Gods and their children was forever damaged. And a second, even more, horrible future. A future where he succeeded and decided that not just one God would be enough. He would have bathed the world in blood.

Even now he was torn. In his heart, the need for vengeance still cried out, regardless of the visions of blood and pain Hecate had shown him.

What had he been thinking when she had confronted him? Had he truly just turn tail and run as he had? Yes, the other paths she had showed him were full of pain and devastation, but so what?

At that thought, Percy had to still his rising anger. He had made his choice, and deep within himself, he knew it had been the right one. He had been a heavy boulder rolling down a steep hill, and he had allowed Hecate to divert him, rather than allowing him to crush those he was heading for.

The conflict of the choice he had made raged within him. He had turned away from all those he loved. Forever separated.

The damn of Percy's pains and emotions broke, and he wept.

\- AGM -AGM -AGM -

With some of the money he had been given, Percy had rented a room at the Tavern for a few nights, not finding the desire to do much else now that his survival mode had been suddenly switched off.

While Percy hadn't made it to twenty-one on earth, he still had some experiences with alcohol. Those self-same experiences being the influence of the twins back at camp. If caught, Chiron's punishment was definitely severe, but hey, who can blame a demigod for a little fun? Whether it was the low-quality beer or Percy's tongue, he hadn't been too fond of the taste. The ale that was in front of him now was a different matter though. Oh, he didn't like the taste of it much either, but it definitely packed a stronger punch than the few cans of beer he had previously.

The whole 'brooding, while in a sullen depression' thing had never come naturally to Percy. He tended towards happy with a twist of mischief, though that is not to say that he didn't have his down days. Finding out that he was the son of the God of the Sea had made a lot of sense once he had time to mull it over. Much like the sea, he was prone to changes, but they usually came and went just as fast. This was a different experience though.

He might only be on his third mug of the night, but he was determined to get past the taste and into a state of drunkenness that his demigod body made it frustratingly hard to reach. Percy was just gathering up the willpower to finish off the last of the mug when a solid punch in the arm and then subsequent arm on his shoulders brought him jerkily from his inner thoughts.

"I fancy that I knew all the regulars around here, but suddenly I am seeing you here on a pretty constant basis. You are making me doubt my achievements as a busy body. Say, why don't you tell me your name and why you got that mopy look about your face and we can see if I can fix up my nosy reputation!"

Percy was startled enough by this strangers appearance that he could hardly speak before an absolute torrent of words came flooding out of the man's mouth. With a flash of memory, Percy recognized his assailant as the selfsame flutist who had put him in this dour mood, to begin with.

The man had sleek brown hair done up in a ponytail behind his head. He was lean and tall, with an odd mix of delight and curiosity dancing in his eyes.

"You alright there chap? Lost your voice or something? Maybe mulling over a fight with your paramour? Yes, I can see the heartbreak written all over those sad little green eyes of yours. Come on, speak up lad!"

"Uh, do you mind? I'm kinda trying to drink here."

"Yes, I can see your poor attempts at finding solace in your cup, doesn't look like it is working out too well."

While Percy was confused by the sudden invasion into his privacy, and the man's odd inquisitiveness, enough was enough. He decided to stand his ground and shake off this odd fellow, even if he didn't quite have enough energy to actually get mad.

"Sir, while I appreciate your concern, I am quite happy with my drink and my privacy." With that said, Percy angled himself away from the stranger and focused his attention back onto his cup, ignoring the odd man. But merely a moment had gone by before the flutist was seated on his other side.

"While I admire your balls for turning your back on a 'Ser', I must admit I am no knight. Not many of those in Braavos. And while I thank you for the courtesy, I don't quite think you appreciate my concern. Perhaps it was the sullen look or the overly respectful tone, but either way, I know a lost man when I see one."

And as suddenly as the stranger had appeared, he was even quicker in standing up and starting to walk away.

"Well, I'm off to perform. If you change your mind just stick around after I'm done, I'd hate to hear you offed yourself."

The sight of the garishly dressed stranger was gone before Percy could say another word.

Several times over the course of the night, Percy found himself standing up to go, but something inside of him prevented him from returning to his room. Perhaps it was the oddness of the man and Percy's inner curiosity. Or perhaps it was out of boredom. But deep inside, Percy knew why he didn't leave. Never before had he been so alone. And part of him wanted to have a connection with someone. Even if it was just to humor a wacko's curiosity.

The night wore on, and the thickness of the crowd waxed and waned, but the Tavern eventually quieted down and Percy found himself alone at the bar.

Something hitting the back of his head broke him from his thoughts. Startled, he turned around to find the performer seated at a table in an empty section of the tavern. He pointed several times at the seat across from himself and then sent a mockingly slow wink in his direction. Percy sighed. The odd mad reminded him of Apollo and all of the weird encounters Percy had with the God. Resigning himself to a conversation, Percy slipped off his stool and made his way over to the offered seat.

Once he was seated, the man stared at Percy, obviously waiting for something. Rather aggravated, he gave in.

"What?"

"Don't you remember? I asked you your name."

Percy raised his eyebrow but answered anyways.

"My name is Percy."

"Percy? Interesting, I can say that I have ever met a Percy before. Well, it is pleasant to finally be introduced. I am called Jaqo Darksong."

"Your last name is Darksong? What kind of last name is that?"

Far from being annoyed, Jaqo took Percy's question in stride. "Well, we can't all be blessed to be highborn and nobles. Some men must make names for themselves after all." Percy shrugged, not really having expected an answer.

"So, Percy, tell me about yourself and your ailing heart. Who struck you so low as to be mopping around in such a happy establishment? I don't know if you noticed, but the _ is hardly the local for bar fights and moping drunkards. What ails you, friend?"

As quirky and lighthearted as Jaqo seemed to be, there was a sincere tone to the man's words, and Percy found himself speaking back to the man.

"It's complicated, but I guess I can shorten it down for you."

"Let's just say that my life fell apart and I then was completely separated from everyone I know and love."

"Hmmm. And why don't you go back to or find these loved once you were separated from?"

"I can't. And I don't mean I won't, I mean that I am literally unable to go back."

Percy paused for a moment, trying to figure out how to continue. He needed a better explanation, as explaining the full of it was complicated, and he didn't want to get involved in a discussion about Gods and worlds.

"I come from a land to the far east. My girlfriend was killed, an important leader of our land was at fault, and because of that, I did something stupid. Nothing bad enough to be executed, obviously, but I was cast out. I can never return."

Silence filled the space between them while Jaqo processed what Percy had said.

"You are certain that there is no return to your home?"

"Yes, it is an impossibility. Besides, if I am being honest with myself, I don't even know if I would want to go back if I could."

"I see. So you are alone, in a new land, with no connections, no friends, no one to love, and nothing to live for?"

Jaqo's words felt like a punch to his gut. Percy was sure that his emotions were clearly written on his face.

"Yes."

"Well then. You truly are a lucky man."

It took a moment before Jaqo's words registered, and only slightly longer for his temper to explode.

"What!? How could you say that? I literally have nothing in this life except the coins in this pouch, the clothes on my back and this crappy dagger. You say that you want to hear my problems and then tell me I'm lucky to be miserable? What exactly is your deal!?"

Jaqo put his two hands up in a calming gesture. The mischief having once more fled from his countenance.

"Before you storm off in a huff, listen to what I have to say. I too am not from Braavos, I migrated here many years ago. In my homeland there is a something we call the 'Hæterii', it is a gift given by our Goddess. Select few ever receive it, but to earn the gift a man or a woman must attain great heights in learning, history, financial success, martial prowess, wisdom, and love. They must achieve all of that which our Goddess askes of our people. If they achieve these things to her satisfaction, they receive the 'Hæterii'."

Jaqo paused here, and though Percy's emotions were still roiling, he could see that there was a reverence to Jaqo's words.

"All of the individual's knowledge and memories would be taken, and they are given a new name. They become the lowest of the low, no longer the man or women they once were. Truly a fresh start, able to begin again."

Percy took a few minutes to absorb the words, and let his anger be replaced by confusion.

"I don't understand. How could that be considered a gift? It sounds more like a curse."

At his words, Jaqo smiled.

"You are not completely wrong, and many foreigners to our lands think the very same. But to understand the 'Hæterii', you can not dwell on what was lost, you have to think of what is gained. Every one of us is born into this world as a blank slate, and it is only as we grow and make mistakes that we learn and understand the world around us. And by the time that one could achieve the 'Hæterii' they are often set in who they are. They are Iron that has cooled and can no longer be worked without breaking. So the goddess places them in the forge once more, to allow them to remake themselves anew."

"I guess that makes some sense. I can understand the desire to be more than you are, to change."

The flutist patted him on the shoulder and offered him another smile.

"So don't you see? While you might not have been given the gift of the 'Hæterii', you are free to be whoever you like to be. Embrace the end of your old life, accept the new for what it really is, opportunity! Be who you could never be before."

And with those words, Jaqo stood up. A rueful smile on his face.

"I thank you for sharing your burdens with me, young friend. No one should carry them alone. But I must now be away. However, if you ever need an ear to hear, you know where to find me."

\- AGM -AGM -AGM -

Percy mulled over what Jaqo had said, and of the strange custom of his people. He had lost his memories once before when Hera had taken him from Camp Half-Blood. And he knew what the flutist had said was true. While he had definitely known that he was forgetting something, he had new experiences with the Romans that he might not have been open too before. He had made new friends and learned of things he might have ignored before.

Perhaps there was something to be said about this 'Hæterii'. Not enough for him to want it for himself, but enough to make him think.

While he couldn't just shrug off what had happened to him, he could move forward. After all, the sea was in his veins, and the ocean never stilled for long.

Percy sat at the table until the inn closed and the fire slowly burned out, and he eventually made up his mind.

He had never been the type to give up, or the type to mope about. It may have taken a strange man to slap him on the backside of the head, but Percy knew now that he was not yet done living.

In the morning, he would find Captain Sanat and accept his offer to return to the crew.

He once was Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson, a demigod of the sea, Hero of Olympus. And in truth, that would always be a part of him. But he had made a choice, a choice to leave the world of Gods and Titans behind.

It was time for him to make his own path, free of the prophecies that had twice defined his life.

Once, he was Perseus Jackson, demigod, and hero, but no longer.

He is now who he chooses to be.

Percy Jackson, a Godless man.

* * *

 **AN -** So ends Part 1! This story will have three parts that are shaped around certain periods of Percy's life. Part 1 is and will be the shortest by far. You can kinda think of it as the prologue/intro. A lot of people just dump Percy right into the action and for good or ill, I wanted to have more of a realistic wandering/finding of himself. Plus, now you know why he is on Planetos


End file.
